Idris Ahmed, Lokoja.
Graduating students of the Federal University, Lokoja, have been advised not to allow their newly acquired academic certificate to deceive them into believing that they have conquered the world.
Kogi state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, who gave the advise at the 3rd and 4th combined convocation ceremony held at the institution’s permanent site on Saturday, told the graduands that the certificate they have acquired was a stepping stone into the world full of ups and downs.
“With the acquisition of your various degrees today, you are firmly on the path to success but you have to do much more to get there. Putting all your hopes and aspirations in the certificates you are getting today will disappoint and frustrate you.” He noted.
Quoting from Jim Rohn, the Governor said ”Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune.”
“This is clear from the experiences of some of the most successful people in the planet today. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg did not complete college, but they enjoyed levels of success and wealth that most people can only dream of. “He noted.
Also quoting the famous Indian author Jim Rohn, “Formal education teaches how to stand, but to see the rainbow you must come out and walk many steps on your own.”
The Governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Chief Edward Onoja, said that beyond formal education, success after now lies more in the passion and vision and actions rather than the piece of paper you received at the graduation.
“Accordingly, I advise all of you to develop an entrepreneurial mindset. This instantly transforms you as a person into a factor of production. If you work hard enough from that position, you will ultimately mobilise the other factors of production – capital, labour and land – which you are going to meet. You must disrupt or be disrupted. You must innovate or we die. I was in the banking sector before joining Government and I can tell you for free that new technology and process quickly changed the way we used to do things and those banks and bankers who did not update themselves quickly fell by the way”.
The Governor assured of continued support in areas of ancillary infrastructure and security towards ensuring adequate academic prosperity for the Federal University Lokoja and others tertiary institutions within the state.
